Snow meltinfj apparatus and method



June 8, 1965 PRIMAs 3,187,743

SNOW MELTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed July 31, 1962 3 shuts-shut 1 FIGZ.

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June 8, 1965 A. L. PRIMAS SNOW MELTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1962 FIG. 5.

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June 8, 1965 A. L. PRIMAS SNOW MELTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 31, 1962 mOC ATTXS.

United States Patent 3,187,743 SNOW MELTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Alex L. Primas, Jeffersonville, Pa., assignor to Thermal Research & Engineering Corporation, Conshohocken, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 31, 1962, Ser. No. 213,668 1 Claim. (Cl. '126343.5)

This invention relates to snow melting apparatus and method and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

The invention provides a fuel burner installation in which a downwardly extending burner nozzle-enclosing tube or downcomer tube is provided with an opening at the bottom for the outflow of combustion gases from the sides, a closure being disposed over the end at a distance away, and in which a tubular housing around the downcomer tube is provided with a bottom opening and with an opening at a location above the lower end of the downcomer tube for the outflow of combustion gases and hot water.

The burner and housing unit is placed in a receptacle in which snow is introduced for melting and which will maintain a body of water at a height above the lower end of the housing and downcomer tube. The receptacle may be a tank with drain outlets at a given height above the bottom of the burner tube or may be a pit in the ground with a water overflow level sufliciently high, or even a similar pit in a body of snow.

'A cover at the top provides protection against a direct entry of snow in the housing in such amounts as would unduly obstruct the outflow of combustion gases or reduce the snow melting action and also acts as a splash guard or deflector to prevent water from being blown out directly upward from the housing, instead deflecting it latterally into the snow.

The burner and housing unit together with a tank may be mounted on a self powered mobile vehicle or on a towable mobile vehicle; or the burner-housing unit can be transported separately without a tank, as when used in a pit or fixed tank.

The invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of an illustrative embodiment which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a single burner unit mounted with a tank on a towable vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear end elevation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial vertical axial section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse inside elevation taken on the line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a two-burner assembly and tank installation mounted on a towable mobile vehicle; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a towable vehicle 10 has mounted thereon a tank 11 in which snow is deposited. Within the tank there are disposed one or more upstanding water drain pipes 12 with protective spaced caps 13 which prevent clogging by snow. The drain pipe openings are at a height suflicieut to maintain a body of water at a predetermined height in the tank. A valve 14 controls the outflow of water so the level may be increased if desired.

ice

While in use the vehicle wheels may be held by blocks 15.

A fuel burner and housing unit 16 is mounted in the tank, preferably at one side, here on a water deflector plate or splashguard 17 secured to the top of the tank.

The burner proper, designated as 20 (FIG. 5), in-

cludes a downwardly directed lined nozzle 21 supplied from the burner nozzle 21 and which is partially closed at the lower end by a closure plate 31 held in spaced relation from the end of the tube by welded brackets 32. A space 33 is left between the plate 31 and the end of the tube for the lateral outflow of combustion gases.

The burner-housing unit 16 alsoincludes .a housing 35 which surrounds the downwardly extending burner tube 30 with a considerable distance between, which is open at its lower end at a considerable distance above the bottom of the tank, and which near the top has an enlarged side opening 36 with a water overflow edge or weir 37 located near the level of the burner nozzle. The overflow edge is located well below the upper edge of the tank. The deflector plate 17 overlies the upper side opening in the housing 35 and in the present instance is coextensive with the peripheral edge of the housing 35 defining the upper side openings as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The drain pipe openings are located at such height that the water, at least in inactive condition, stands at a level W at a considerable distance above the lower end of the burner tube 30 and at a considerable distance below the edge 37. For economy and convenience the housing may include a part of the side of the tank, as shown in FIG. 7, when a tank is used.

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is essentially like that described except that the tank 11' is larger, has three upstanding drain pipes 12' distributed across the bottom, and has two burner-housing units 16' arranged in the tank. A single blower 23', by pipes 24 and branches 24a and 24b, supplies both burners. A fuel tank 22' is carried on the rear. There are control dampers Mal and MM for the branch pipes 24a and 24b.

In operation, assuming the water level W to be about as shown, the burner nozzle discharges downwardly through the downwardly extending tube 3% to force combustion gases out through the bottom opening 33 beneath the Water. The combustion gases will be discharged upwardly through the water. This will cause heating of the water and violent discharge out of the opening 36 at the top of the housing to strike the snow in the tank and melt it. The deflector plate or splashguard 17 directs the heated water laterally into the snow and prevents splashing directly upward and out of the tank. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the deflector plate 17 overlies the upper side opening 36 of the housing 35 so that products of combustion discharged through the tube 30 pass upwardly through the water in the housing 35 whereby due to the turbulence created by the combustion gases, the water engages against the deflector plate 17 and is directed laterally out of the upper side opening to engage a body of snow piled adjacent the housing 35. By this arrangement, the heated water serves to break up the snow and cause efficient melting thereof.

The melted snow continuously flows out from the protected upper ends of the drain pipes, the water level thus being kept constant.

If the burher-housing unit is used in a pit it is relatively easy to arrange an cit-flow level of water at a height above the lower end of the downcomer'tube and at about the level W shown in FIG. 5, the snow being piled in the pit alongside the housing where the outfiowing heated wa-:

ter ejected from the top of the housing will strike and melt it.

When the burner-housing unit is used alone it maybe held in proper position by a hoist or other convenient support.

It is thus seen that the invention provides convenient and relatively simple means and method for melting snow. It could, of course, be used for heating liquids. It has been found that the operation is relatively economical. Whereas the average cost of hauling snow is from $1.50 to $2.50 per ton, the present apparatus will melt it for about $0.40 to $0.50 per ton. The water produced can be drained to the nearest sewer opening or otherwise disposed of as conditions permit.

The melting action of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and, 9 is the same as that of the smaller unit except that the melting action is more rapid and there is a saving in equipment by using one fuel tank, one blower, and one engine for both burners.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modi ficationswithin the general scope of the invention.

I claim:

Snow melting apparatus comprising in combination a support plate, a burner supported on said plate having a nozzle extending downwardly therebelow, a downwardly extending tube disposed approximately 90 relative to said plate and secured to said plate and extending downwardly for a distance below said nozzle, an end plate secured on the lower end of said tube at a distance therefrom to leave an annular lateral space between it and the end of said tube for the outflow of combustion gases, a housing surrounding said tube and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, said housing being open at the lower end which is disposed below the lower end of said tube, said housing having an upper side opening in the side thereof at a distancerabove the lower end of said tube, a tank forming a snow receptacle around said burner housing unit, covered drain pipe means in said tank providing drainage and maintaining the water level therein at a predetermined height, said support plate overlying the upper side opening in said housing whereby said combustion gases from said burner are directed outwardly from the lower sides of said tube and upwardly through the water in said housing to heat the same and to cause it to splash against the support plate and deflect laterally outwardly through the upper side opening into a body of snow piled alongside the housing in said tank to effect melting thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 663,718 12/00 Beatty 126-343.5 1,572,414 2/26 Wilbert 126-343.5 X 2,113,806 4/38 Hubbard -108 2,538,412 l/51 Cecil et al. 126-360 2,638,895 5/53 Swindin 126-360 2,900,975 8/59 Northcott 126-360 3,052,231 9/62 West et al. 126-360 X 3,088,812 5/63 Bitterlich et al 126-360 X JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

PERCY L. PATRICK, Examiner. 

